JP2011527038A - Surface design tools - Google Patents

Abstract

  A method for designing a surface selected by a consumer displays a display of a surface, displays one or more patterns applied to the display of the surface, and a pattern selected by the user from the one or more patterns Receiving. This method allows the user to place the selected pattern in a position on the surface that is independent of the size and shape of the selected pattern, and changes at least one characteristic of the placed pattern. It further includes the step of allowing the user to change the display of the surface. In addition, the method includes generating a three-dimensional view of the room that includes a rendered representation of the surface and providing the generated three-dimensional view to the user.

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and system that allows a user to develop and evaluate a design on a surface.

  Improving the indoor aesthetic has long been done by many consumers. There are numerous household products and methods for cleaning surface areas of soft surfaces such as carpets, rugs, draperies, curtains, upholstery. If the surface is heavily soiled and / or frayed, a removal process such as chemically or physically removing something from the carpet, such as a chemical detergent or scraper, may be used. However, such cleaning products and removal processes often fail to restore the surface completely to the original condition, which is often unsatisfactory for consumers.

  Additional treatments to improve the aesthetics of the surface are also known. For example, paint, imitation paint, stencil imprinting, bordering, wallpapering, tiling, paneling, paneling, decorative plastering, appliquing, surface lamination, molding, etc. There is a process to cover, cover or hide.

  In general, the design of such additional processing has been performed by design specialists in response to consumer demand. As a result, the design process for such treatments is generally time consuming and costly, requiring consumers to visit the showroom or design specialists to visit the consumer's home It has become.

  Accordingly, there has been a growing need for consumers to use their computer-aided design programs to easily design themselves. Such a computer-aided design program can be used, for example, in either an online form via an Internet website or an offline form by purchasing package software. In the first example of a computer-aided design program, a consumer selects a product, such as clothing, office / school supplies, exercise equipment, etc., and uses a photo, text, logo, etc. to change the product to his or her preference. . In a second example of a computer-aided program, a consumer selects furniture and places it in a three-dimensionally displayed room before purchasing and / or rearranging the furniture. However, the above first and second computer-aided design programs cannot adequately assist consumers in designing themselves, and consumers choose an existing design in the first example. It is only possible to change the product and in the second example to reposition the furniture in the room.

  Adobe Illustrator (registered trademark) developed by Adobe Corporation of San Jose, California, or Corel Draw (registered trademark) developed by Corel Corporation of Ottawa, Canada In a two-dimensional design program such as the above, a user can draw a two-dimensional diagram. These programs are vector drawing tools, and the user can configure the shape using straight lines, arcs, curves, and the like. With these drawing tools, the user can select a color and paint it on the drawn shape.

  However, in such a conventional program, for example, Patent Document 1 by Shah et al., Patent Document 2 by Bass et al., And Patent Document 3 filed on the same day as the present application (each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) The user cannot design the surface using the additional processing described in the above. These additional treatments allow customers to design soft surfaces such as carpets, rugs, draperies, curtains, upholstery and the like. In one embodiment, the design is applied using one or more stencils and colorants.

US patent application Ser. No. 12 / 152,322 US patent application Ser. No. 12 / 152,405 Agent reference number J-5043 US Pat. No. 6,563,510

  Therefore, there is a need for a convenient and effective program that supports the execution of such designs. Furthermore, it would be a further advantage if such a program would allow the user to determine the design to be applied to the surface after confirming it in a virtual environment that mimics the real environment to be applied.

  According to one embodiment, a method for designing a surface selected by a consumer displays a display of a surface, displays one or more patterns that can be applied to the display of the surface, and one or more Receiving a pattern selected by the user from the patterns. This method allows the user to place the pattern selected by the user at a position on the surface display that is independent of the size and shape of the selected pattern, and at least one characteristic of the arranged pattern is obtained. Also included is the step of allowing the user to change the pattern to create a display with an altered surface. Further, the method includes generating a three-dimensional view of the room, including rendering the altered display of the surface, and providing the generated three-dimensional view to the user.

  According to another embodiment, a method for designing a surface includes: selecting a surface selected by a user from a preset display of one or more surfaces, each including one or more arranged patterns. Displaying the display. Further, the method allows a user to change a preset display of a selected surface, generates a 3D view of the room, including rendering of the display of the surface, and generates the generated 3D view as a user. Displaying.

  According to yet another embodiment, a system for designing a surface includes a display device that displays a display of the surface and one or more patterns that can be applied over the display of the surface, and a modified surface. And an input device configured to receive instructions from a user to create a display. The instructions select a pattern from one or more patterns, place the selected pattern on a surface display, and / or change at least one characteristic of the selected pattern. Steps. In addition, the system includes a processor programmed to generate a three-dimensional view of the room, including rendering of the modified image of the surface.

  Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description.

1 is a block diagram of a system according to a first embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the program by 2nd Embodiment performed by the system of FIG. It is a flowchart explaining the program by 3rd Embodiment performed in order to produce | generate the three-dimensional view of the room containing rendering of the display of a surface. It is a figure which shows the screen of the design layout by 4th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of the design layout by 4th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of the design layout by 4th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of the design layout by 4th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of the three-dimensional display by 5th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of the three-dimensional display by 5th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of the design layout by 6th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of the design layout by 6th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of the design layout by 6th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of three-dimensional display by 7th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of printing / preservation / inspection by 8th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the screen of printing / preservation / inspection by 8th Embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the program by 9th Embodiment which manages one or several users and makes recommendation to those users.

  FIG. 1 shows a system 20 that includes a computer 22. The computer 22 further includes a processor 24 connected to the output device 26, the input device 28, and the computer memory 30. The processor 24 includes hardware and software running on any suitable operating system, such as Microsoft Windows®, Mac OS, Linux, etc., as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the software includes multimedia software such as Adobe Flash Player 8 and an Internet browser such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, or Opera. The processor 24 controls the operation of the system 20 in accordance with a program stored in the computer memory 30 and instructions received via the input device 28. Further, the processor 24 controls an output device 26 for displaying information to the user such as display of the surface to be designed. The input device 28 may include one or more of a keyboard, a mouse, a flash drive, a USB drive that receives data from a CD or DVD device, or any other type of device that allows a user to enter commands into the computer 22. It is possible to include a device. In one embodiment, output device 26 is a display screen and / or a printer. As a non-limiting example, computer 22 may be a user's personal computer and / or kiosk. Other modifications apparent to those skilled in the art can also be made to the computer.

  The system of FIG. 1 may include a computer 22 and a plurality of other computers 22a to 22n and a server 32 connected by a wired or wireless connection 34 to form a computer network capable of communicating with each other and with the server. The other computers 22 a to 22 n may each include an output device, an input device, and a memory, like the computer 22. In addition, server 32 includes suitable hardware, such as server memory 36, and software that is compatible with operation in any suitable operating system apparent to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, connection 34 is an Internet connection and server 32 supports Internet-based applications that are accessible to computer 22 via, for example, a website. In this embodiment, the server 32 may be any suitable server, such as an Apache web server, and the application may be written in any known language, such as PHP5, and server memory 36. The data inside may be managed using any known system such as MySQL and the internet connection may be any suitable connection such as DSL or Wi-Fi. Further modifications to the system 20 can be made as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

  In one embodiment, each computer 22 in FIG. 1 operates as a stand-alone system or kiosk that does not require a server 32. However, such a stand-alone system can be periodically connected to the server 32 to send and receive related data, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

  Referring to FIG. 2, in one embodiment of a program implemented by the system 20, starting from block 40, a new user can be registered or a registered user can be logged in at that block. This registration / login procedure is well known in the art. For example, registration procedures typically enter a user name (eg, email address), password, and / or other user-specific information such as an address, credit card number, and the like. This information entered by the user is stored locally in the computer memory 30 of the computer 22 or stored in the server memory 36. One embodiment of a login procedure includes entering a username and password and determining whether the entered content matches the username and password stored in computer memory 30 and / or server memory 36. . If the input contents match, the user is approved and can proceed to the next step. However, if the input contents do not match, the user is not approved and is allowed to either re-enter login information or proceed to the next step as a guest user. In yet another embodiment, if the user forgets the password, the user can be requested to send the password to the user's email address. Alternatively, at block 40, the user can remain anonymous without registering or logging in.

  Following block 40, control passes to decision block 42 to determine whether to load a predefined surface representation. In this embodiment, the predefined surface representation includes one or more patterns disposed thereon, as will be described in detail later. The determination of block 42 whether to load a predefined display is made with or without user input, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. If a predefined display is to be loaded, control passes to block 44 to load a predefined display. In one embodiment, the predefined display is designed in the past by the user, stored in the computer memory 30 and / or server memory 36, and can be selected after the user logs in. Selected from one or more displays. In another embodiment, the predefined display is selected from one or more default displays or a display designed by one or more different users. Here, such a display is stored in the computer memory 30 and / or the server memory 36, and can be used for any user, whether a logged-in user or an anonymous user.

  Returning to block 42, if a predefined display is not loaded, control passes to block 46 to generate a layout for area display. In one embodiment, layout generation specifies and generates the size and / or shape of a surface display, such as, for example, a 10 foot (about 3 m) × 10 foot (about 3 m) square, or a 2 m radius circle. Display the rendered layout as a blank display of the surface, that is, a display with no pattern on it. From block 44 or 46, control passes to block 48 to change the displayed surface display to obtain the desired design, whether it is a predefined display or a blank display. The layout change procedure is described in more detail later, but typically involves selecting one or more patterns that can be placed at any desired location on the surface display. In another embodiment, the changing procedure of block 48 further includes changing other characteristics of the pattern, such as adding or changing colors, overlaying the pattern, changing direction, etc.

  After the display is changed at block 48, control passes to block 50 to generate a three-dimensional view of the room that includes a rendering of the changed display. In this way, instead of looking at the modified display on a poorly designed screen, the user evaluates the display in a simulated real environment and before purchasing what is needed to implement the design. And / or before asking a design expert to implement the design, it can be seen how the modified display will look. For example, a three-dimensional view of a room includes a living room or a bedroom, and a changed display includes a design such as a floor, a wall, and a ceiling. If the user is satisfied with the changed display, decision block 52 determines whether the change process is complete. If the user wishes to make further changes, the control loop can return from decision block 52 to block 48 to make further changes to the display until the user is satisfied. When the change is complete, control passes to block 54 where the changed display can be saved and / or printed as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Further, at block 56, an inspection process may be implemented as described in detail below. In other embodiments, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the flowchart of FIG. 2 may include fewer or more processes, and those processes are performed in any desired order. It may be.

  With reference to FIG. 3, one embodiment of a program executed to generate a three-dimensional view of a room that includes a rendering of a two-dimensional representation of a surface begins at block 60. At block 60, a two-dimensional display of a surface, such as a surface display changed by the user, and a three-dimensional view of the room are read from memory, such as computer memory 30 and / or server memory. Control then passes to block 62 and the 2D display is oriented to match the position and orientation of the plane in the 3D view. For example, the orientation of the 2D display can be changed to align it with the floor or wall of the 3D view. At block 64, the two-dimensional display can be distorted and / or the magnification can be varied to match the approximate dimensions of the room in the three-dimensional view. At block 66, shading and / or lighting in a three-dimensional view of the room can be applied to the two-dimensional display of the surface. Following block 66, at block 68, the two-dimensional display is rendered or overwritten in a three-dimensional view. In another embodiment, some of the blocks described above may be performed simultaneously and / or in a different order. Further, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, blocks can be deleted or added in the flowchart of FIG.

  The various screens of FIGS. 4A-8B are generated by the system 20 and displayed on a display device to the user. In one embodiment, FIGS. 4A-8B may be implemented as a series of screens on a website accessible from, for example, a personal computer at a user's home and / or a kiosk at a store. Various screen animations / renderings can be performed utilizing any known platform or technology, such as Adobe Flash Player or AJAX. In FIG. 4A, the user enters the dimensions of the surface in a “Length” box 70 and a “Width” box 72, and a “Form Grid” button 74 or “Next” by a cursor 78 controlled by an input device such as a mouse. "" Button 76 is clicked to create a layout for displaying the surface. In this example, the user enters a dimension of 10 feet (about 3 meters) × 10 feet (about 3 meters) and clicks the “grid formation” button 74 with the cursor 78 to display 2 of the surface 80 on the right side of the screen. Generated a dimension display. In FIG. 4A, the two-dimensional display is a plan view of surface 80, which includes a reference grid 82 made up of 1 foot square blocks that are convenient for placing a pattern on the surface. The dimensions of the display 80 and the reference grid 82 can be scaled up or down depending on the size of the surface and / or the dimensions of the blocks forming the reference grid, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. When the user clicks the “Next” button 76, the next screen including the display of the surface 80 without the reference grid 82 is displayed.

  In FIG. 4B, the pattern classification 84 is selected from the classification list. The pattern classification 84 is displayed as a button / icon that visually displays the pattern classification. 4B, the pattern classification 84 includes a square 84a, a circle 84b, a band 84c, a wave and vortex 84d, a hula da li 84e, a leaf 84f, a flower 84g, a leaf and a branch 84h, a circle and a square 84i, and a diamond 84j. Including. To select the pattern category 84, the user need only click on the desired pattern category with the cursor 78. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in other embodiments, the pattern classification 84 may be lesser or greater. In various embodiments, pattern classification 84 may be a default classification stored in computer memory 30 and / or server memory 36, or may be a user-designed pattern classification. A user-designed pattern classification or a user-designed pattern included in the classification may be supplied to the system 20 via an input device 28 such as a flash memory drive or a CD drive inserted into the USB port. However, it may be uploaded using the Internet. In some embodiments, a user may supply a system by providing the system with an electronic conversion of a user-designed pattern (e.g., a scanned or file from a draw application). Some system embodiments associate a user-designed pattern with the user and limit it to be available only to that user. In another embodiment, a user designed pattern can be used by other users of the system 20.

  When the user selects a pattern classification 84, one or more patterns 86 associated with the selected pattern classification are displayed as buttons / icons that are visual representations of the patterns from which the user selects. In some embodiments, placing the cursor 78 on the pattern classification 84 for longer than a predetermined time displays one or more patterns 86 associated with the selected pattern classification. FIG. 4C shows a state in which the user has selected the leaf pattern classification 84f. Four different patterns 86a, 86b, 86c, 86d are shown from which the user can select a desired pattern by clicking with the cursor 78. When the desired pattern 86 is clicked, the pattern becomes “attached” to the cursor 78 and accompanies the movement of the cursor in the screen. In this way, the user can move the cursor 78 to the desired position on the display of the surface 80 and click again to place the pattern 86 there. In one embodiment, the position of the pattern 86 on the display of the surface 80 is not limited to the reference grid 82. The grid is merely used as a reference, and the pattern can be placed anywhere on the surface 80 regardless of the size and shape of the selected pattern. Further, the user can place the pattern independently of the reference grid 82 at virtually any location on the surface 80 as long as it is within the capabilities of the display device and positioning device utilized. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reference grid 82 is only used as an aid when the user aligns one or more patterns 86 on the surface 80, and the characteristics of that pattern, such as dimensions and shapes, Not involved at all. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the size of the pattern 86 can be scaled to fit the display of the surface 80 and the dimensions of the reference grid 82. Furthermore, for example, by pressing the space bar or other key on the keyboard, the pattern can be rotated by a preset amount of about 45 degrees, or the menu can be displayed by clicking on the pattern. The direction of the selected pattern 86 can be changed, for example, by changing the direction or other methods apparent to those skilled in the art. FIG. 4C shows one embodiment, where the first leaf 86a ′ is positioned approximately in the middle of the surface 80 and the second leaf 86a ″ is rotated approximately 180 degrees below the first leaf 86a ′. 4C, the user presses the “eraser” button 88 to display the eraser icon (not displayed) and “attach” to the cursor 78 to accompany the movement of the cursor in the screen. Can do. The user can then move the eraser icon to place it on the pattern 86 on the display of surface 80 and then click to delete that pattern. FIG. 4C also shows a “cursor” button 90 that the user can click to return the cursor 78 to its original state with no other icons attached. Further, when the cursor 78 is used in its original state, by clicking on the pattern 86 arranged in the display of the surface 80, the user uses the procedure described below to position the pattern. And / or the orientation can be changed. Furthermore, a “Previous” button 92 can return the user to the previous screen, and a “Next” button 76 allows the user to advance to the next screen. In addition to clicking the “Previous” button 92 and the “Next” button 76, the user can click between various tabs 94 at the top of the screen to navigate between the screens.

  The screen of FIG. 4D illustrates one embodiment where the user can select and color color 96 for one or more patterns 86 on surface 80. In the present embodiment, a plurality of colors 96 are displayed as buttons / icons in a visual display, which are stored in the computer memory 30 and / or the server memory 36. In FIG. 4D, Spice 96a, VeiledSage 96b, Espresso 96c, Artistic Gold 96d, Country Berry 96e, Casual Blue 96f, The colors of Boy Blue 96g and Jobial Pink 96h are included. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in other embodiments, fewer or more colors can be selected. In the present embodiment, in order to paint the pattern 86 with the color 96, when the user clicks on the desired color with the cursor 78, a paint bucket icon 98 is attached to the cursor, which accompanies the movement of the cursor on the screen. When the cursor 78 with the paint bucket icon 98 is moved over the pattern 86 and clicked, it can be colored. The color 96 of the pattern 86 changes to the selected color, and the painted color can be visually confirmed. 4D shows an example in which the user has applied artistic gold 96d to leaf 86a ". In another embodiment, color 96 can be selected based on pattern 86. That is, the respective pattern. The colors that can be applied to the pattern vary depending on the pattern. In yet another embodiment, a pattern such as pattern 86a 'or 86a "can be clicked to display a pop-up menu or drop-down menu and the user can select color 96. It is.

  In some embodiments, visual confirmation to the user that color has been applied to the pattern is also an indication of how the color painted on the surface and the pattern and / or color will appear. For example, if the user painted an artistic gold color 96d on the leaf pattern 86a ", the visual confirmation displayed may be the color of the face 80 and any other pattern under the pattern 86a" (not displayed). The color of artistic gold 96d mixed with the color of The simulated color is an interaction (eg, opacity, color, etc.) with an artistic gold 96d colorant and a consumer-selected surface (eg, soft surface, wall, furniture, etc. as described above) Mixing etc.) may be taken into account. In some embodiments, the color of the surface selected by the consumer is selected from among the surfaces previously configured in the system, or a colorimetry that measures the color of the sample of the surface selected by the consumer. It may be provided by the user by using a meter or a scanner. Such a color scanner useful for the present disclosure is disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,563,510 issued to Rice et al. The entire patent is hereby incorporated by reference. Therefore, as the simulated color, the color provided on the selection surface of the consumer to create the simulated color by the user may be used.

  When the user finishes painting the color 96 on one or more patterns 86 on the surface 80, the user clicks the “Next” button 76 to move to the screen of FIG. 5A. In particular, when the user has finished changing the display of the surface 80, the user can instruct the system 20 to generate a three-dimensional view of the room 100 that includes a rendering of the changed display 80. In this embodiment, the modified display 80 can be rendered in a plurality of different rooms displayed as buttons / icons with a visual display of the room. The room 100 in FIG. 5A includes an office 100a, a living room 100b, a private room 100c, a bedroom 100d, and a child room 100e. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in other embodiments, the room 100 may have fewer or more rooms. The three-dimensional views of the various rooms 100a-100e are stored in the computer memory 30 and / or server memory 36, and are captured by the computer 22 and / or server 32, respectively, at the user's request, or in any other manner. Available for selection. Furthermore, each different room 100 is different in size, lighting and shading, furniture layout, and the user can see the modified display 80 in a virtual environment that is closest to the actual environment to which the display is applied. .

  FIG. 5B shows a three-dimensional view of the private room 100c 'with the modified display 80 rendered on the floor. Rendering the modified display 80 on the three-dimensional view of the room 100 can be performed using any known procedure. In one embodiment, the rendering procedure typically reads the modified display 80 and the 3D view of the room 100 and aligns the modified display 80 with the floor position and orientation of the selected 3D view. This includes deforming or scaling the display 80 changed according to the approximate room size in the view and overlaying the three-dimensional view on the changed display. In another embodiment, the rendering procedure further generates simulated colors and applies shading and / or lighting associated with the three-dimensional view of the room 100 on the modified display 80 before or after the overlaying step. , Including that. If the user is not satisfied with the changed surface 80, the display 80 can be further changed by clicking the “Previous” button 92 or the appropriate tab 94. If the user is satisfied with the changed surface 80, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the user clicks the “print” button 102 or the “save” button 104 with the cursor 78 to view the changed display, respectively. Can be printed or saved. As a non-limiting example, when the user presses the “Print” button 102, a print screen (not displayed) is displayed and the user selects a printer, makes one or more settings, and is changed. The display 80 can be printed. In another non-limiting example, when the user clicks on the “Save” button 104, a save screen (not shown) is displayed to enter a new name for the changed display 80 or an old display. Depending on whether or not to overwrite, it is possible to specify a location for saving the changed display 80 and save the display. The location for saving the modified display 80 may be on the computer memory 30 and / or the server memory 36, or on an external device such as a flash memory device or CD. Further, in some embodiments, information related to the saved display of surface 80 is also stored. Such information includes the user name of the user who generated the display, the dimensions of the display, the pattern used, the color, position, direction, etc. of the pattern used. Such a “print” button 102 and a “save” button 104 are available throughout the various screens, eg, FIGS.

  Referring to the screens of FIGS. 6A-6C, one embodiment is shown in which a user selects a predefined display or layout 106 (see, eg, FIG. 6B) and makes changes to that layout. In one embodiment, the user can select a plurality of predefined displays 106. The predefined display 106 can be stored in the computer memory 30 and / or the server memory 36 or can be captured by the user in a known manner. In one embodiment, a plurality of predefined displays 106 are organized into a pattern classification 84 similar to the pattern classification described above. In FIG. 6A, the user can select one pattern classification from among them by clicking the pattern classification 84 with the cursor 78. In addition, the user can capture the previously generated and saved predefined display 106 by clicking the “Save Capture” button 108 with the cursor 78. In one embodiment, in order to be able to capture a previously generated display 106, it may be necessary to log in after clicking the “capture save” button 108. Also, in another embodiment, any predefined display 106 is allowed to be captured regardless of whether the user is registered or logged in.

  FIG. 6B shows various predefined displays 106a, 106b, 106c, 106d in the circle pattern classification 84b and the patterns 86e, 86f, 86g, 86h that make up the various predefined displays. Represents. In another embodiment, each of the pattern classifications 84 includes one or more different displays 106 that can be selected by the user. In FIG. 6B, the user has selected the first display 106a in the circle pattern classification 84b. Here, the first display is displayed on the right side of the screen. Thereafter, as described above, the user can click the “print” button 102 or the “save” button 104 to print or save the display, respectively. In addition, however, the user can click the “Customize” button 110 to change the predefined display 106. In this embodiment, the user can change the display 106 using a technique similar to or different from that described above with respect to FIGS.

  FIG. 6C illustrates one embodiment in which the user customizes the display 106a to replace the center circle 86f of the display with four small flooders 86i and two large flooders 86j. Was added to the display to create a modified display 106a ′. In addition, the user painted color 96 on various flooders 86i, 86j in the same manner as described above with respect to FIG. 4D. If the user is satisfied with the change to the display, the system 20 can be instructed to generate a three-dimensional view of the room 100, including rendering of the changed display 106a ', as described above. In FIG. 7, the user has selected the living room 100b as the location to render the modified display 106a '. Thereafter, as described above, the user can print, save, and / or customize the changed display by clicking on the buttons 102, 104, 110, respectively.

  FIG. 8A depicts a print / save and check screen that can be accessed by clicking the “print” button 102, the “save” button 104, and / or the “check” button (not shown). 4A-7, the shopping list 120 is displayed in the lower right corner of each screen. The shopping list 120 may be used to replay the display on a consumer-selected surface (such as the aforementioned soft surface, wall, furniture, etc.) with the display 68 and / or 106 colored and patterned. Necessary product data is written. In one embodiment, such products include US Patent Application No. 12 / 152,322 to Shah et al. And US Patent Application No. 12,152,405 to Bass et al., Which are already incorporated by reference. Stencil and colorant cans that can be used in accordance with the disclosed techniques. For example, in FIG. 4C, the shopping list 120 shows that the user needs two Haikaido bent leaf stencils, and in FIG. 4D, the shopping list is one artistic gold colorant can. Indicates that it is necessary. Similarly, the shopping lists of FIGS. 6B, 6C, and 7 are populated with stencils and multi-can colorants used to replay the display on the consumer selected surface. Referring to FIG. 8A, the shopping list 120 is filled with product data necessary to implement the first display 106a of the circle classification 84b (see FIG. 6B). In FIG. 8A, if the user has not clicked the “login” button 122 or the “register” button 124 before, the user can click it to log in or register, respectively. Further, as described above, the user can click the “print” button 102 or the “save” button 104 to print or save the shopping list, respectively. In the present embodiment, the screen of FIG. 8A also includes a “reservation” button 126 and an “order” button 128. In one embodiment, the user clicks the “Reserve” button 126 to select one or more items listed in the shopping list 120, thereby making a reservation at a store that sells those items. Such a store may be an actual store or an online / virtual store. The store is notified of the reservation via any known means. In one embodiment, the store computer is connected to the server 32 via the Internet, which is further connected to the user computer 22. Here, the reservation computer is notified electronically by e-mail, for example. In another embodiment, the computer 22 is integrated into a store kiosk and selected items are booked from store inventory using any known means. The user clicks the “Purchase” button 128 to select one or more items on the shopping list 120, thereby placing an order with the store. Similarly, this store may be an actual store or an online / virtual store. After clicking the “Order” button 128, the user is prompted to enter payment information, such as a credit card number. Then, the user selects various delivery conditions such as normal delivery, express delivery, or receipt at the store. In another embodiment of the shopping cart 120 shown in FIG. 8B, the product is shown with the actual stencil shape and colorant color, rather than the names such as the Barcelona mid-size concentric stencil and veiled sage colorant of FIG. 8A. Has been. Rather, FIG. 8B shows the first, second and third stencils 130a, 130b, 130c used to design the display of the surface 80. Thus, the user can quickly review the shopping list 120 by looking at the shape without having to remember the name of each of the different patterns.

  In another embodiment, the system is configured to present a recommended pattern, layout, and / or color scheme to the user. The presentation of these recommendations can be activated either actively or passively. For example, if the user clicks the “Recommend” button 140 (shown in FIG. 6A), the recommendation presentation is actively activated. Alternatively, it is possible to simply display the recommendation on one of the screens such as the screens of FIGS. 6A and 6B and passively present the recommendation. Recommendations can be made in other ways, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

  FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a program that the system 20 described above can execute to provide such recommendations. Here, the program begins at block 150 and tracks user activity throughout the design of the surface display. In one embodiment, the user is a logged-in registered user. However, in other embodiments, the user need not register and can simply remain anonymous. In either case, at block 150, the system logs user activity. This includes user selection of selected patterns and colors, placement of patterns individually and / or in groups, use of the “Erase” button 88 described above, pre-defined display capture, display save, etc. Including switching to other screens. In one embodiment, all user activity is tracked regardless of the final design of the surface display. At block 152, a user profile is created from a log of user activity. Profiles can also be created from other information of the user, such as a log of user activity at previous logins and / or information gathered from questionnaires. Such information includes the type of room being designed, the size of the room, the arrangement of furniture in the room as a whole, the degree of lighting in the room, the user's age and income level, the user's zip code, etc. Information that would be apparent to those skilled in the art. The user's profile is stored in a memory, such as computer memory 30 and / or server memory 36, along with a default profile and / or other registered and anonymous user profiles. At block 154, the user profile is read from memory and compared to the stored default profile and / or other user profiles to identify profile similarities and between users with similar profiles. Common design choices are identified. In order to identify the similarity of user profiles, items obvious to those skilled in the art, such as similar pattern placement, color ratio, room size or ratio, exact pattern / color matching, similar geographic location, etc. Any suitable matching algorithm, such as finding it, can be used. In one embodiment, the matching algorithm can weight different things such as patterns, layouts, colors, etc. to identify the most correlated match for the user. Based on the comparison at block 154, at block 156, a recommendation to provide to the user as described above is generated. Alternatively or in connection thereto, block 154 may review the user trends used to generate the recommendations of block 156. For example, such user trends may include popular colors and patterns, color and pattern combinations, typical pattern densities based on room size, common 3D room selection, and / or It includes the most common design choices, or trends, such as whether you prefer to start with a blank face display or a preset display. In another embodiment, the system 20 tracks time and date data to identify patterns of access, and matches such data with booking and / or purchase data to assess the degree to which it leads to sales.

  The systems and methods described herein allow a user to design conveniently and effectively on a two-dimensional display of a surface. In addition, the user should evaluate the 2D design in a simulated real environment, such as the 3D room to which the design is applied, and proceed with the application of the design or make further changes to the design. It is possible to evaluate what should be done. Still further, based on the user's profile and other profiles, a recommended design is given to the user, which can assist the user in designing. In one embodiment, a user can easily obtain or purchase a product necessary for applying a design to a surface.

  Other embodiments consisting of various combinations of the individual features of each of the foregoing embodiments are expressly included herein.

  The present invention facilitates surface design by the user, displays such design in a simulated real environment, and allows the user to determine whether the design is satisfactory or needs to be changed. Support the evaluation.

  With respect to the foregoing description, many modifications to the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the invention and to teach the best mode of carrying out the invention. Presented. Exclusive rights for all changes within the scope of the appended claims are reserved. All patents, patent publications and applications, and other references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Claims (20)

A method of designing a surface selected by a consumer,
Display the surface display,
Displaying one or more patterns that may be applied to display the surface;
Receiving one pattern selected by the user from the one or more patterns;
Allowing the user to place the selected pattern on the display of the surface at a position independent of the size or shape of the selected pattern;
Allowing a user to change the pattern to create a modified display of the surface by changing at least one characteristic of the arranged pattern;
Generating a three-dimensional view of the room, including a rendering of a modified representation of the surface
Providing the generated three-dimensional view to the user.   The method of claim 1, wherein the display of the surface is a two-dimensional display.   The method of claim 1, wherein the surface is a soft surface.   The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic is a direction or color of the pattern.   The generating includes at least one of causing the user to select from a plurality of different rooms and simulating a mixed color of the color of the pattern and the color of the surface selected by the consumer. The method of claim 1.   6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of different rooms are different in size and include different lighting and / or furniture arrangements.   The method of claim 1, further comprising storing information about one or more users and recommending one or more patterns to the users based on the stored information.   The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a list of products required to replay the modified surface representation on the consumer selected surface.   The method of claim 8, wherein the product list lists shapes and / or colors.   9. The product list of claim 8, wherein the product list includes a stencil, and / or a colorant, and the method further comprises allowing the user to place an order to purchase at least one of the products. The method described.   The method of claim 8, wherein the pattern is supplied by the user drawing or scanning. A method of designing a surface,
Display a user-selected surface display from among one or more pre-set surface displays, each including one or more arranged patterns;
Allowing the user to change the pre-set display of the selected surface,
Generating a three-dimensional view of the room, including a rendering of the surface representation;
Displaying the generated three-dimensional view to the user.   Receiving one pattern selected from the one or more patterns from the user, and changing the selected pattern by changing at least one characteristic of the user to change the display of the surface; The method of claim 12, further comprising at least one of: obtaining and allowing the user to place the selected pattern on a representation of the surface.   13. The method of claim 12, further comprising allowing the user to erase the one or more patterns to change at least one characteristic thereof, wherein the at least one characteristic is orientation or color. The method described.   13. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing information about one or more users and recommending the user to display a preset of one or more of the faces based on the stored information. Method. A system for designing surfaces,
A display device that displays a display of a surface and one or more patterns that can be applied over the display of the surface;
An input device configured to receive a command from a user to create a modified display of the surface, the command selecting a pattern from the one or more patterns; Placing the selected pattern on a representation of the surface; and / or changing at least one characteristic of the selected pattern; and
And a processor programmed to generate a three-dimensional view of the room including rendering of the modified image of the surface.   The system of claim 16, further comprising a kiosk that houses the display, the input device, and the processor.   The system of claim 17, wherein the kiosk is connected to a server and one or more other kiosks.   17. A memory further storing information about one or more users, wherein the processor is programmed to recommend one or more patterns to the user based on the stored information. The system described in.   Further comprising a memory for storing one or more preset representations of the surface, each of the one or more preset indications including one or more patterns disposed thereon; The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions received from the user include a selection of preset displays that the user can change via the input device.

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